12th September
by Storybookgirl77
Summary: An anniversary Sandra wished never existed.


**Disclaimer. I do not own New Tricks. BBC television and Wall to Wall own all. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred.**

**1\. 12th September**

Sandra walked into the office and headed straight into her little inner sanctum. There was no way she was going to spend any time with small talk with Sasha and the lads. It was the last thing she needed. Sitting at her desk she booted up the computer, ignoring the take away coffee she had bought on the way into work - specifically so she didn't have to spend any time waiting for the kettle to boil. Today was not a day to be around other people. She frowned slightly, forcing herself to focus on the mountain of paper work she had to get through rather than the concerned stares and whispers she knew would be coming from the main office.

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"Wha's wrong with Sandra?" Ted asked as Gerry shrugged off his coat.

"Ow do I bleedin know? I never know anything these days. Apparently." He huffed before heading to his desk. Steve smirked.

"Trouble in Paradise?"

"Shut up."

"I'll take that as a yes then." Steve began preparing to leave the office as Jack huffed.

"What?"

"You do know what today is?" Jack asked as the rest of the team pulled a face. He shook his head, knowing he had to respect her privacy. He knew there was no way she would have told the newer members of the team what the significance of the day was but he had expected Gerry and Brian to remember. He glanced towards her office before turning back to Gerry. "September twelfth?"

"Not her birthday?" Dan asked.

"No, that's not until after Christmas." Jack answered. "Oh I give up! I really do." He ushered Steve and Brian out of the office determined to interview their latest witness. He knew Sandra would be ok. That the significance of the date ate her up every year. He felt the same, Gordon had been his friend but he knew it was worse for her and Grace. He just hoped the older woman would remember the date and the women would be able to support each other.

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Sandra ignored the phone ringing on her desk. She knew that it was probably either Strickland with more work or her half brother who had also suffered following Gordon Pullman's death. At that moment in time she didn't want to talk to either of them. Her father was dead. Had been for forty years. Only now. Now she was older than he was when he had killed himself. It seemed even more heart breaking in a way. He never got to see her as an adult. Never got to try to make things right with work. It just seemed so sad. She opened her wallet to look at the photo she carried. It was black and white, faded but showed her as a toddler in her father's arms. The biggest smile on both of their faces. She wiped a tear away from her eyes as she put it away. There was no way the others would know she was finding today difficult or why.

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"You and Sandra are close?" Dan asked as he walked along the street with Sasha. The blonde DI nodded.

"Yeah, well as close as anyone can be sharing an office. She's a very private lady, our Guv." She shoved her hands in her pockets to search for car keys as Dan nodded. "Like you. A closed book."

"I am not a closed book."

"Oh come on, Danny. You are hardly the most gregarious one on the team. Its not an insult. You keep yourself to yourself. Nothing wrong with that." She clicked open the car door. Danny let himself in. "I mean none of us knew you were seeing Fiona until she told us."

"My private life is private. Anyway, I was the new boy then. Didn't know any of you well enough."

"And now?" She started the engine.

"And I now know you all a little better." Sasha smiled, knowing that was the only answer she was going to get.

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Sandra pressed 'send' on the final report for Strickland. She was pleased she had finished all the reports and budget requests she had been assigned but now it meant she had very little left to do. Glancing at the clock she knew there was a very good chance everyone was at the pub. She had no intention of joining them. Instead she glanced out of the main office as she realised that she was right. Everyone had gone home or as she suspected to the pub. Sighing she knew she could do with a drink, but getting drunk wasn't going to help. It hadn't any other year, she saw no reason this one was different. She headed for the kettle instead, stopping in her tracks as Gerry skulked into the office.

"You still 'ere?"

She nodded.

"You eaten?"

"I'm busy." She turned on her heel, hoping he was going to get the message. He shook his head before following her. Before she could close her office door he was leaning on the doorframe. "Gerry."

"Its September the 12th."

"I know." Her voice hardened.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realise this morning. None of us did."

"Nothing to be sorry for. Did you get the witness statements? I want to talk to."

He held up his hand to stop her as she took a step back. "I made curry." He lifted the carrier bag she hadn't noticed before. "You need to eat and so do I."

"Don't let me stop you." She huffed. She knew her relationship with the former detective was still changing. She still wasn't able to let all her walls down, despite knowing how he felt. He raised an eyebrow.

"Vegetable curry with rice and chips? Lager? Cmon."

She smiled slightly before nodding. He put the bag on her desk. "You don't have to do this alone. I'm sorry I'm an idiot. I really am. I." Sandra frowned on the verge of tears as Gerry stepped towards her, pulling her into his arms. "You don't have to do this alone. Its not just me who loves you, you know that. We all do." He kissed her hair as she hugged him back. She had no idea what to say, maybe it was a sign from her dad. Maybe it was just Gerry being Gerry but in that moment she knew he was right. She didn't have to be alone anymore.

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A/N please review


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